Al-Rawda University College

Department of Nursing & Health Sciences

Fall 2025/2026

Chapter 1: Digestive system.

Presented by: Basel Malaysheh, MS Anatomy

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 Digestive System

 The digestive system includes:

 Organs of the alimentary canal:
mouth, pharynx, esophagus,
stomach, small and large
intestines.

 Accessory digestive system

organs: teeth, tongue, salivary
glands, liver, gallbladder, and
pancreas.

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Functions of the digestive system
(digestive processes)
1. Ingestion: taking food into mouth.
2. Secretion: release of water, acid, buffers, and enzymes into
lumen of GI tract.
3. Mixing and propulsion: churning and movement of food
through GI tract.(peristalisis)
4. Digestion: mechanical and chemical breakdown of food.
5. Absorption: passage of digested products from GI tract into
blood and lymph.
6. Defecation: elimination of feces from GI tract.

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The mouth
• Referred to as the oral or buccal cavity (BUK-
al; bucca cheeks).
• The mouth is first portion of the alimentary
canal that receives the food and produces
saliva.
• consists of lips anteriorly, cheeks laterally,
palate superiorly, and tongue inferiorly.
• The palate is a wall that separates the oral
cavity from the nasal cavity, and forms the roof
of the mouth.
 Palate: is composed of a hard palate (4
bones), located anteriorly consisting of 2
maxillae and 2 palatine bones, whereas the soft
palate is located posteriorly and forms a
partition between the oropharynx and
nasopharynx that is lined with mucous
membrane.
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The mouth
Uvula:finger like, fleshy projection of the soft
palate.

Tongue: is a solid mass of skeletal muscle,

important in mastication and deglutition, and
has 3 parts: 1-tip, 2-body, and 3-root.

Teeth: Organs of mastication, divided into 20

baby teeth, which appear early in life, and
permanent 32 teeth which replace deciduous
teeth

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The mouth
 Salivary Glands: is a gland that
releases a secretion called saliva
into the oral cavity.
 saliva is secreted to keep the
mucous membranes of the mouth
and pharynx moist and to cleanse
the mouth and teeth.
 There are 3 pairs of glands: the
largest gland is a parotid gland,
submandibular and sublingual,
secreting approximately 1- 1,5 L
of saliva each day.

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Pharynx
• Structure: The pharynx is a muscular
tube that connects the mouth to the
esophagus. It is shared by both the
respiratory and digestive systems.

 It may be divided into three parts:

o nasopharynx, oropharynx, and
laryngopharynx.

• Function: During swallowing, the

epiglottis closes over the larynx to
prevent food from entering the airway.
• No digestion takes place in the pharynx.
Its only related function is swallowing,
the mechanical movement of food
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Esophagus
• The Esophagus is a muscular tube
about 25 cm long that connects the
pharynx to the stomach.

• Function: It moves food to the

stomach through peristalsis, a
series of wave-like muscle
contractions.

• Peristalsis of the Esophagus propels food in one

direction and ensures that food gets to the stomach even
if the body is horizontal or upside down.
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Esophagus
• At the junction with the stomach,
the lumen (cavity) of the esophagus
is surrounded by the lower
esophageal sphincter (LES).

• The LES relaxes to permit food to

enter the stomach, then contracts to
prevent the backup of stomach
contents.

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The stomach
• The J-shaped enlargement of
the GI tract directly inferior
to the diaphragm in the
abdomen. The stomach
connects the esophagus to
the duodenum.

• The stomach has four main

regions: the cardia, fundus,
body, and pyloric part.

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The Stomach
• The stomach mucosa is simple columnar epithelium dotted with
gastric pits that lead into gastric glands.

 Secretory cells in the gastric glands include:

 Chief cells: produce Pepsinogen.
 Parietal cells: secrete hydrochloric acid(HCL) and intrinsic factor.
 Mucous neck cells and surface mucus cell: produce mucus.
 Enteroendocrine cells: secrete hormones.

• The gastric mucosal barrier is a protective, dynamic layer that

prevents the stomach's digestive acids and enzymes from damaging
the stomach lining itself.
• Food turns into a semi-liquid mixture called chyme.
• Few substances are absorbed in the stomach. 12
The Stomach

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Small Intestine
• small intestine is the major
digestive and absorptive organ.
• It’s a tube approximately 2,5
cm in diameter and 6-7 m in
length.
 It’s divided into three regions:
• 1: Duodenum: uppermost
division, approximately 25 cm
long, like the letter C.
• 2: Jejunum: is the middle portion of the small intestine, its length
about 2,5 m.
• 3: Ileum: is the terminating part of the small intestine, 3,5 m long,
and connects with the cecum.
o The small intestine extends from the pyloric sphincter to the ileocecal
valve. 14
Small Intestine, duodenum and related organs

• Ducts from the pancreas, gallbladder, and liver empty into the duodenum.
• The bile duct and pancreatic duct join to form the hepatopancreatic ampulla and empty
their secretions into the duodenum through the hepatopancreatic sphincter. 15
Small Intestine
 Circular folds, villi, and microvilli increase the intestinal surface
area for digestion and absorption.

 Function: most digestion and absorption occur in the small

intestine. Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are broken down into
their simplest forms (monosaccharides, amino acids, and fatty
acids). Nutrients are absorbed into the bloodstream or lymph.
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Large intestine

 The large intestine is about 1.5 m

long and 6.5 cm in diameter,
consisting of the cecum(and
appendix, colon, rectum, and anal
canal.

• The Cecum: first portion located in the lower right quadrant of the
abdomen, appendix is an accessory organ, 8 to 10 cm in length,
attached with cecum, ileocecal valve prevents material passing from the
large intestine into the ilium.

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Large intestine
• The colon is divided into:
 Ascending colon: ascends on the right side of the abdomen, reaches
the inferior surface of the Liver
 Transverse colon: passes horizontally across the abdomen, extends
from the hepatic flexure to the splenic flexure.
 Descending colon: vertical portion on left side of the abdomen.
 Sigmoid colon: joins descending colon to rectum.
• The rectum is about 15 cm in length and lies anterior to the sacrum
and coccyx
• The anal canal is the terminal (2–3 cm in length) part of the large
intestine, with the opening called the anus.
 Function:
• Absorption of some water, ions, and vitamins.
• Formation of faeces.
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Large intestine

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 The liver

• The liver is the heaviest gland

of the body, weighing about
1.4 kg.
• The liver is inferior to the
diaphragm and occupies most
of the right hypochondriac and
part of the epigastric regions of
the abdominopelvic cavity.

• The liver is divided into 2 main lobes: the right, which forms five-sixths,
and the left, which is one-sixth, consisting of hepatic lobules that are the
functional units of the liver.
• Blood flowing to and out of the liver via the hepatic artery and hepatic
portal vein. 21
The liver
Bile ducts: small bile ducts form right and left hepatic ducts, which
unite to form the common hepatic duct, which in turn joins with the
cystic duct to form the common bile duct, opening into the duodenum.

Function of liver:
• Detoxification: The liver acts as the body's filter, removing toxins,
drugs (including alcohol), and metabolic byproducts like ammonia,
converting the latter into urea for excretion in the urine
• Storage: It stores important substances such as vitamins (A, D, E,
K, B12), minerals like iron and copper, and energy in the form of
glycogen.
• Protein Synthesis: It creates vital proteins, including albumin
(which helps maintain blood volume) and clotting factors.
• Bile Production: The liver produces bile, which is then stored in the
gallbladder, to help break down fats and absorb fat-soluble vitamins.

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Gallbladder
Gallbladder is a pear-shaped sac that is located in a depression
of the posterior surface of the liver.
 The gallbladder is a sac about 7to 10 cm.
 Function: Bile in the hepatic duct of the liver flows through the
cystic duct into the gallbladder, which stores bile until it is
needed in the small intestine digestion of fatty foods.

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pancreas
 The pancreas is a vital organ of the digestive and endocrine systems.
 It is about 12–15 cm long, located behind the stomach, and stretches
from the duodenum (right side) to the spleen (left side).

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Pancreas
 Parts of the Pancreas
 Head: Broadest part of the
pancreas, nestled in the curve of
the duodenum.
 Important for releasing digestive
enzymes into the small intestine.
 Neck: Narrow section between the
head and body.
 Lies in front of important blood
vessels like the superior mesenteric
artery and vein.

Body: Central part of the pancreas.

Produces insulin (endocrine) and digestive enzymes (exocrine).
Tail: Extends to the spleen.
Contains a high concentration of islets of Langerhans (endocrine cells that
regulate blood sugar).
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Pancreas
 histologically pancreas is composed of 2 parts:

 Exocrine part (digestive function): makes up the majority of the

pancreas, produces digestive enzymes amylase, (carbohydrate
metabolism) lipase (lipid metabolism), and trypsin (protein
metabolism) which are carried via the common pancreatic duct into
the duodenum.
 Endocrine part (endocrine function): represented by pancreatic
islets of Langerhans, made up of beta cells, producing insulin,
(hypoglycemic hormone) and alpha cells producing glucagon
(hyperglycemic hormone).

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‫‪Thank You‬‬

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